August 1920] THE PEACE CONFERENCE AND AFTER

Astor's house. We three alone. A. J. B. charming and delight-
ful.

Much talk about Russia. A. J. B., who is in charge at the
Foreign Office, had prepared a memorandum in reply to the
latest Bolshevik effusion. He and Kerr were settling the draft,
A. J. B. said in effect, " The Prime Minister can take my
draft or leave it." A. J. B. asked my opinion about Russia. I
said, " I should remove all restrictions but should enter into
no arrangements, leaving the commercial community to trade
as they thought fit." Looking over at Kerr, Mr. B. remarked^
" How strange ! That exactly coincides with my view ! "

We had a long talk on economics.

A. J. B. : I have been thinking a great deal about this. I
think it necessary that the public should be instructed on
these matters. They should be shown how a nation benefits
by accumulated wealth. I intend to make two or three speeches
on the subject.

ABOUT SEPTEMBER IST, 1920.—Coal strike negotiations
in full blast. Dined with Hartshorn, who told me there is a
strong feeling among the miners in favour of a-strike, They are
very angry at the contumely showered upon them by the Press
and believe this is due to the Board of Trade. He says that
unless Home is careful he will allow the miners to get into
such a state of mind that they will strike just to show their
independence.

Home asked me to call. He said that he thought a strike
imminent and outlined the Government preparations to meet
it. I said I thought the strike would be avoided, as I did not
believe the miners would be firm in their demand to prescribe
the price of coal. Consequently the dispute would resolve
itself into a wage question, which would be settled by some
sort of compromise as usual. I told him the miners thought he
was too much in favour of the masters. He protested that he
had no leanings towards the proprietors,

I saw him again on September nth, when I chaffed him
for living too much with millionaires and Society people,
and thus losing the democratic touch. He, however, assev-
erated that his point of view was fundamentally democratic,
He said he had been reared in a Scottish colliery village, where

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